Hi Steve, although I haven’t started my year of world travels yet (95days left!!), I know already that there will be no “slipping back” into your old life. This journey is going to change you. You’ll likely experience a culture shock of sorts when you get back. You would have just got back from what will likely have been your most incredible year in your life, and everyone at “home” had been carrying on with their own lives and they just won’t be as excited as you are. And you’ll be changed. And I imagine it is not going to be easy. I have sort of been through this at a much smaller scale when I lived in Norway for 6 months, but having a year off (paid!) and getting to travel wherever and whenever (for the most part) is a much bigger experience and it is not something that comes easily or happens everyday!

I am so anxious about my upcoming year off, as I have no plan yet. No idea what I want to do or where to go and when. All I know is that I want to become a better person during the time off. I want to work on myself in many respects, not just indulge once in awhile and experience new things. I want to feel, I want to live, I want to see. I want it to be a transformative journey, I want to get underneath the surface of a place (and also go inside myself, to a place I have not yet visited) and I want to know that I’m on the right path when my year is up…so that my journey can continue.

It’s not going to be an easy transition when you come back (I’m guessing). Things won’t be the same because you won’t be the same. The world will change you (or maybe you’ll have changed the world)!

Thank You Tawna
Although I might come back a different person, i fear, falling back into the same rut as before. Somehow, I want to try to keep this feeling of “living” alive, and somehow continue to make small, and meaningful changes to other peoples lives.